A Conversation with Nicó Lee, The Tejano Couturier
You know those people you see online who make super cool stuff and say super cool things and you follow them and then they follow you back(!!!) and all of a sudden, they’re your best friend in your head who you admire and love and would do anything for despite never having met them (or, in some cases, ever having carried a substantial conversation with them)? I think it’s referred to as an “unhealthy parasocial relationship?”
Nicó Lee, based in Austin, TX, is that for me.
When I decided to start Fashion From Scratch, I knew immediately that I wanted the very first issue to be about Nicó. His “delicate ball gowns with rough finishes and accessories, draped delicate silk with raw hems, [and] ornate beading with lived-in earthy tones,” inspired by his tejano background, possess the kind of beauty that could bring you to tears (if you’re the type to cry about beautiful clothes), and exemplify the kind of craftsmanship synonymous with the title of Couturier.
About the Artist
How did you get started creating?
I got started accidentally, really. I’ve always been an artist, I think my earliest memories include a mess of some degree. Drawing on boxes, walls, notepads, anything I could get my hands on. I was raised in a very rural community in south Texas so resources were very limited and all I had was my creativity. I started drawing dresses at like 8 or 9, mainly just to come up with ideas of what I could see my mom or sisters in. When you don’t come from money and watch nothing but movies filled with grand garments, it’s easy to want to imagine a reality where the women you love are in finery. When I was 14, everything changed. I took a sewing class because my friends were in there and I wanted to be social, but a little fire started burning and the idea of possibly making dresses was so interesting to me. My teacher made it very clear that we weren’t going to learn anything like that, but being the hard headed Taurus I was I didn’t really let it stop me. I would trace garments out of discarded sheets, curtains, thrifted fabrics, anything I could get my hands on. My teacher saw the light in me and one day purchased a dress form for the class and pulled me to the back. She mentioned that she couldn’t teach me how to make dresses, but said that I could teach myself by draping. Ever since then, I’ve taught myself everything I know from that mentality my teacher gave me of teaching myself out of necessity.
If you could collaborate with any artist, living or deceased, from any creative field (not limited to fashion), who would it be and what kind of collaboration would you envision?
I would love to work with Ethel Cain. I think her themes are what I have always felt but never knew how to put it in words. I think a lovely ball gown covered in teeth embroiders or a bias cut silk gown in an earthy brown color palette, I dunno. Something like that. Designer wise though, I’d love to work with Willy Chavarría. He’s such an inspiration to me, I’d love to work for his brand and contribute to his vision while still being involved in my own.
How do you envision the future of fashion and the role your creations might play in it?
In a world full of manufacturing, I’m hopeful that there will be a place for me with the greats, but also a space I get to create on my own. Being considered the first ever Tejano Couturier in an industry that is filled with couturiers who don’t look like me is scary, but I know when I occupy those spaces it’ll only be more accessible to the next generation of young designers of color. I already see it happening, especially in American fashion. I am constantly mesmerized by the thrill and ambition of this new wave of designers, it’s a very exciting time for artistry.
The Process
Inspiration and Sketching
I watch a lot of horror films. I think the macabre contrasted with the delicate nature of working is somehow… calming? Bugs are also a huge inspiration. Anything regarding flies, beetles, butterflies, etc. I’ve always been a fan of things of that nature and I usually reference both of those factors each season. For instance, this upcoming collection came to fruition while I was at my parents house hunting for cicadas and picking dead roses off the floor of my mothers garden… I sketch a lot, which is apparently a little rare in our wonderful world of fashion. For clients, we stay incredibly true to the design (unless the client decides to change) and for collections it often shifts several times.
Draping and Patternmaking
From sketch, of course I go straight to draping and designing on the form. I think of the draping as my second form of doodling, I need to see the vision. After that, of course a toile is made. I’m awful at math, but measurements are the most important factor [in patternmaking]. Sure, I can drape a dress on a person in 5 minutes and send it down a runway, eyeball a pattern on a draft fabric, and be an idiot savant where needed, but with clients and sampling, accuracy is so important, especially now with the push for brand visibility online and in show rooms. It needs to be scalable. Yes, we have those made to measure clients, but with an upcoming endeavor in ready to wear everything has to be perfect.
Materials
The fabric sourcing is always the trickiest. Sometimes, we just can’t get the material I’m looking for either due to the complexity or the fees of getting it. I’m a small brand currently so I have to be mindful of all costs. Unfortunately, I often find myself settling for a more inexpensive fabric for samples or simply taking what I’ve learned and make a textile completely from scratch. Clients, they tend to be more elevated in materials as for their fee usually allows us to get the best materials fit for their budget which is wonderful. A lot of my textiles are handmade. Textured tulle skirts that take weeks, ornate beaded bodices, organic materials made of layers of organza.
Technique
A lot of my methods are a lot of trial and error factors. When you don’t have a teacher to show you the craft, you kinda get inventive. Things like hoop skirts with no extra crinoline, bodices that are fully boned with sheer beaded overlays that look seamless yet are layers of fabric. That kinda thing, the hidden details that make a difference that no one really thinks of.
Fitting
Fittings are incredibly major for me, I’m very big on being as hands on as possible. Things like proportion, the fit, the styling, all of it. I need to be involved in the gown from start to finish, I’m a control freak.
Improvisation
One time we had a dress that was missing from a runway show. I was in a panic at didn’t know what to do yet had some silk I had brought to pin as a bustle. I asked the model to stand still and draped a gown in 5 minutes on her, completely on the bias, complete with arm holes, hardware and a functional slit. That gown ended up being the most requested gown of the season. I don’t know if that was annoying or a flex but either way, pressure made a diamond.
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